Think Tanks. Think Tanks are NOT, mind you, mobile assault vehicles with brains, but like todays think tanks. They stand by you and offer -valuable- advice.
Think Tanks will be optional, and if you decide to use them, they will suggest to you where you should move your ships, what you should research, build, etc,. If done correctly, think tanks could be VERY helpful, as in the game Korsun Pocket where your advisor pointed out possibilities you didnt think of, or they could be like the infamous Clippy of microsoft word.